1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to device or component mounting and positioning, and more specifically to a component device bracket and carrier system that provides for the component device to be installed into and removed from an array of component devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer network server systems and related components are typically housed in racks configured to assimilate a plurality of component devices. System racks provide efficient organization for the plurality of components for ease of access, serviceability, expandability, power distribution, cooling, etc.
As is known, various system and network component devices require electrical connection as well as data connections to implement RAID array, mirroring, or other such redundancy of data and power. As used herein, a “component device” is generally a singular component of a system, exemplified by devices such as network servers, routers, disk drive and other mass storage devices, tape back-up devices, and other similar related component devices, but may also be any type of device with or without an electrical connection. In the example of disk drives, the component devices are being developed in smaller and smaller dimension while accommodating more and more data. Concurrently, networks and network systems are being called on to accommodate and to process more and more data. Disk drive components, once having a form factor of 5.25 inches, have evolved to current industry standards of 3.5 and 2.5 inch form factors. An exemplary three rack unit tray in a computer system rack can therefore house a correspondingly greater number of disk drive components in the available space. Efficient use of the space, while providing for necessary access and airflow, presents continuing challenges to the configuration and arrangement of disk drives, and other component devices within a system rack.
In consideration of the foregoing, what is needed is an efficient method and system of arranging, mounting, and positioning component devices that enables easy access in a minimum of space.